Animated files, or “animations,” are useful for a number of reasons. Animations may use less system resources than video content. For example, less bandwidth may be required to display an animation in a browser than video content. Animations may be more universally compatible with various users' devices and software configurations. For example, many Internet browsers include built in functionality to display animated GIF files; however, video content often requires the installation of a separate codec or player before the video file may be displayed. Animations may be easier to embed and/or display than video content. For example, it may be difficult to display a live stream of video content on every search result page, but relatively easy to embed and/or display an animation on every search result page.
A first problem is that current systems do not allow the conversion of video content into an animated file format. Specifically, current systems do not allow the conversion of video content of a multi-party video communication session into an animated file. A second problem is that current systems do not allow video content of a multi-party video communication session, which includes video content of each of a plurality of participating devices, to be converted into a single animation file ensuring the proper playback of the animation. A third problem is that current systems do not allow a user to preview a multi-party communication session before joining/connecting to the multi-party communication session. Therefore, current systems lack a mechanism to showing the user who is participating and/or what is happening in the multi-party communication session thereby eliminating any user apprehension about joining the multi-party communication session.